2023 Impact report
Working towards a
Hunger Community
Last year, we collected over
of surplus food from local grocery stores, wholesalers, farms - including:
With additional donations and support from: Richard Robbins & the Second Chance Foods Pantry Garden, The Cornell Cooperative Glean Team, Private Orchards - thanks to Orchardist Alan Haigh, Fishkill Farms, Long Haul Farm, and all our Generous Home Growers
Some of that food was transformed with love and care into
restaurant-quality, nutrient-dense, meals including recipient favorites like
Glazed Salmon
Apple & Kale Slaw
BBQ Ribs
Stir-Fried Peppers & Chicken
Crustless Quiche
But, did you know? Not all of our recovered food is cooked.
pounds of produce, dairy, eggs, meat, bread, and other food was intentionally left fresh to add more options in eating, variety, and autonomy for those we serve.
pounds of produce, dairy, eggs, meat, bread, and other food was intentionally left fresh
to add more options in eating, variety, and autonomy for those we serve.
Meals and groceries were delivered
over the year at 22 different locations to help nourish over
Children, Families, Seniors, Veterans, and Neighbors in Need
All of this nourishing food was connected with those in need thanks to our hunger-relief partnerships across Putnam, Westchester, Dutchess, and Orange Counties in New York
- and even one in Danbury, Connecticut.
But that's not all!
Because of the food we recovered and kept out of the landfill we avoided
of CO2 that’s like 36 passenger cars driving for one year!
of the food used in our meals is surplus food
and would have been otherwise wasted.
pounds of food was collected from our food partners
and passed on as compost or used to feed animals!
We even changed the mailed Impact Report to better reflect our commitment to Environmental Sustainability. It used less paper, was printed on post-consumer paper with sustainable ink, and carbon offset shipping!
All of this impact was only possible thanks to over 300
hard working, dedicated, and passionate volunteers who gave more than
of time driving, gleaning, chopping, cooking, delivering,
and providing essential professional services to help us advance.
Thank You to All Our Incredible Volunteers!
"I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported our mission to rescue and redistribute surplus food to those in need. Partnership is at the core of achieving our mission; again this year, we’ve seen the power of community. Your dedication has been the driving force behind our success, and I am filled with immense appreciation for the positive impact we have collectively made on the lives of our hungry neighbors. We have learned to recognize the abundance surrounding us and use it to strengthen and sustain lives in our community." - Martha Elder, Executive Director
2023 Highlights and Spotlights
It's been (over) a Year of Growth!
Bountiful Meals Expands
The pilot program of Bountiful Meals was such a success that we were able to expand into the Putnam Valley Free Library. These grab-and-go meals are available to anyone in need and a perfect example of what collaboration can do.
CSN Boxes
You might remember our Community Supported Nutrition boxes (Wednesday Distribution) began in April 2020, providing weekly delivery boxes of nourishing meals made by our kitchen with additional groceries like produce, eggs, dairy, bread, and other perishables. It has grown to serve an average of 308 weekly! We can’t wait to use our new facility to expand this program and add another pickup location in 2024.
CBS Feature
Second Chance Foods was honored to be featured on CBS mornings with Gail King. They spent two days learning about our organization, speaking with volunteers and food recipients, and then shared our story with a national audience!
Staff Increase
In 2023, we expanded our staff significantly! This greatly increased our capacity and the increase in what we achieved truly shows. We added three new positions: a part-time Volunteer Coordinator, a part-time Kitchen Manager (now full-time!), and an Associate Director. We also adjusted roles to better fit our needs replacing the Development Director with an Individual Giving and Events Officer. We were so happy to start 2024 fully staffed with six incredible employees dedicated to reducing waste, alleviating hunger, and increasing access to nutritious foods.
Serving Mahopac
Our partnership with St. John’s in Mahopac isn’t new – but it is an important example of how the fresh produce and groceries we supply food pantries makes a significant difference.
“I have never eaten so well, or such a variety of food, until I started receiving deliveries from Second Chance Foods.” -Community Supported Nutrition Recipient
Financial Growth & Community Support
Thank you to everyone who donated and makes our work possible!
2024 Financial Challenges & Opportunities
- 226% increase in rent
- Over $100k in one time costs to move and renovate our new facility.
Increased Expenses = Increased Impact!
- + 15% more fresh groceries
- + 15-20% more nutrient-dense meals
- More access points in community
- Increased efficiency & response
Over eight years of
Elevating the Health of People & the Planet through Food Rescue
2024
In April we moved to our new Kitchen and Community Food Hub, allowing us to cook more food, store additional groceries, run programs concurrently, and, most importantly, connect more nourishing food with the community we serve.
2023
In partnership with CCE Putnam, our Bountiful Meals program was launched in senior centers, expanding access points to distribute healthy meals without barriers. Our staff expanded to six employees, significantly increasing our capacity and impact.
2022
Continuing to support our growth, we added two walk-in coolers, and a part-time development staff.
2021
Our distribution and cooking grew significantly to meet the ongoing increase in hunger. We also expanded our rental space and added our first part-time Operations Assistant.
2020
An innovative year as we responded to the challenges of the global pandemic.
New programs were quickly developed, and our Community Supported Nutrition boxes began.
2018 & 2019
Program partnerships expand to include interns with developmental disabilities, cooking grows to year-round work, and a Mobile Cooler provides more flexibility and growth to rescue.
2017
60 lbs of imperfect carrots launch our prepared meals program – cooking farm fresh produce to make healthy eating easy and delicious!
March 17, 2016
Second Chance Foods is officially a nonprofit and begins rescuing food from grocery stores. 1,125 lbs recovered in the first six weeks!
